Squat overrated (read me)

[ryno9000]

Ok, so I don't think the Squat is overrated, but hear me out. I've been ignoring leg presses as a primary exercise because for the longest time, everyone says "you have to do squats to grow," "squats are a must," blah blah blah. Tonight I skipped regular squats entirely (I still did some hack squats) and just did leg presses in their place (instead of tired ass leg presses at the end or something like I have been "told" to do). My legs feel so much more worked than they ever do with doing squats! For me, squats are extremely taxing on my overall energy and I find that I get an overall tired before my legs are extremely fatigued. This was not the case tonight! Not saying I won't ever squat again, but I feel a lot of growth about to happen with my new discovery. So I ask, why is everyone so religious about doing squats?

 

[artificialaspirations]

you body just got used to them. change is good but don't eliminate squats entirely.

 

[deathdroprob]

you body just got used to them. change is good but don't eliminate squats entirely.

Yeah your legs wrnt used to the change, BUT I also dont find squats as good for legs......like I wont feel the legs getting an awseome pump and Im screwed all over but after a few hard weeks of squats I always notice my legs are lookin finer than ever.

Just mix the excersies around.

 

[stevius]

Muscle does not appear on your body from working with improved leverages. You build muscle by working your body where it is weakest. The leg press gives you an advantage- the leverages are so good you can use half a ton in no time. If that won't build muscle, nothing will.

For anyone that does both leg press and squat there's no good way to determine what works and what doesn't. You can attribute your results to the overall genius of your program OR you can break it down and remove all the fluff. Ask the leg press only pro to really see how useful it is as a tool.

As for the squat maybe you're doing a back squat which tends to work the hips glutes hams calves and surprise, surprise.. the back. It is not a pure leg exercise more a hybrid of the deadlift and front squat. The front squat paired with back squat is the perfect marriage but ideally you want an orgy with deadlifts GM's ghrs, rdls, power cleans etc.

Of course squats tax you energy. It's a near full body movement. Leg press gives you a lot of support. Get your core strong and work with poor leverages for muscle that average joe doesn't carry around. Do isolations if you're the kind of person that wants to build every single muscle to its extreme?!

 

[Azinine]

I took a week off after 10 weeks on the madcow 5x5. Yesterday, I squatted again for the first time in 7 days. Today, my legs are sore for the first time in about 8 weeks.

Your body just got used to the squats. DOMS isn't necessarily a good indicator of how effective the exercise is.

 

[bottleneckblooz]

DOMS?? Sorry, what is this?

 

[deathdroprob]

DOMS?? Sorry, what is this?

Used Condoms

 

[bottleneckblooz]

Wait, I think I figured it out...Degree Of Muscle Soreness...?

 

[sessa]

DOMS?? Sorry, what is this?

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness

 

[NJL52]

Ok, so I don't think the Squat is overrated, but hear me out. I've been ignoring leg presses as a primary exercise because for the longest time, everyone says "you have to do squats to grow," "squats are a must," blah blah blah. Tonight I skipped regular squats entirely (I still did some hack squats) and just did leg presses in their place (instead of tired ass leg presses at the end or something like I have been "told" to do). My legs feel so much more worked than they ever do with doing squats! For me, squats are extremely taxing on my overall energy and I find that I get an overall tired before my legs are extremely fatigued. This was not the case tonight! Not saying I won't ever squat again, but I feel a lot of growth about to happen with my new discovery. So I ask, why is everyone so religious about doing squats?

Sorry if this comes off sounding prickish,but your 15 minute insight at the gym regarding leg presses does not hold precedent over the millions who have experienced, studied, and worked with squats over the past 50 years.

Squats are exponentially better then any other leg workout. Period.

 

[ryno9000]

Sorry if this comes off sounding prickish,but your 15 minute insight at the gym regarding leg presses does not hold precedent over the millions who have experienced, studied, and worked with squats over the past 50 years.

Squats are exponentially better then any other leg workout. Period.

Yeah, if you read my first sentence in the actual thread though "Ok, I DON'T THINK SQUATS ARE OVERRATED " I'm just saying they don't seem to be getting my legs nearly as good as my focus on the Leg Press as a primary movement. I was just excited about my new find since for the longest time I was afraid to try anything new because being told to do squats has been jammed down my throat so long. Besides, it was more like 16 minutes

Also, there is no "period." in Bodybuilding. If there were, there would be 1 routine, done by everyone, all the time. Period.

 

[gjohnson5]

2 words

muscle memory....

 

[EarthRider]

What's up bro. I prefer leg presses also, just because I have always hated squats which I do them anyway. I have heard that those who are fatigued before their legs are, they need to do more cardio for endurance. Just a thought.

 

[TheOak84]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=DjtVvYk1HWw

 

[artificialaspirations]

awesome vid man.

 

[drsketch]

Hey bud they sell vagisil on aisle 3

 

[TheOak84]

Hey bud they sell vagisil on aisle 3

ya, its right next to the ManDelay

 

[enigma4dub]

another thing to consider is frequency. squating multiple times per week is key.

i like what the previous poster stated about utilizing both fronts and back.

also form is crucial full range of motion with no bouncing at the bottom so that you are sure to engage glutes and ham. why dont you post up your rep and set scheme or maybe a vid of your form.

bottom line; if your squatting correctly, and eating your legs would be growing rapidly.

 

[NJL52]

Yeah, if you read my first sentence in the actual thread though "Ok, I DON'T THINK SQUATS ARE OVERRATED " I'm just saying they don't seem to be getting my legs nearly as good as my focus on the Leg Press as a primary movement. I was just excited about my new find since for the longest time I was afraid to try anything new because being told to do squats has been jammed down my throat so long. Besides, it was more like 16 minutes

Also, there is no "period." in Bodybuilding. If there were, there would be 1 routine, done by everyone, all the time. Period.

lol there is a workout like that, it's called squats. If you need evidence, find any successful bodybuilder, power lifter or strength athlete and ask them their opinion on squats.

Don't look at other people in the gym, ever. In my experience, 95/100 people that go to the gym don't know a damned thing about training, they just go for fun. The easier the workout the better. All 5 of my gyms benches are always taken. Meanwhile the 2 squat racks are always open. Much more action on leg presses and smith machine then squat racks.

I've spent a good amount of time training around and with professional athletes. They live and die by squats.

 

[Elementality]

lol there is a workout like that, it's called squats. If you need evidence, find any successful bodybuilder, power lifter or strength athlete and ask them their opinion on squats.

Don't look at other people in the gym, ever. In my experience, 95/100 people that go to the gym don't know a damned thing about training, they just go for fun. The easier the workout the better. All 5 of my gyms benches are always taken. Meanwhile the 2 squat racks are always open. Much more action on leg presses and smith machine then squat racks.

I've spent a good amount of time training around and with professional athletes. They live and die by squats.

Do their perspectives vary on how deep to go? A lot of bodybuilders don't like to go deep because of the tree trunk line backer body you get from it.

 

[NJL52]

Do their perspectives vary on how deep to go? A lot of bodybuilders don't like to go deep because of the tree trunk line backer body you get from it.

For athletes it is full depth. Below parallel squats are the best tool to build strength and power in your legs.

Bodybuilders sometimes add a lot of tweaks to their workouts in order to better, or more preferably, build certain muscles. IE adding a twisting motion in a curl can make your bicep peak higher, doing leg press can make the heads of your quads larger etc etc. (don't quote me on the exact methods, I'm an athlete, not a bodybuilder)

Workout modifying like that is only really useful when you are already huge and want to perfect your physique. IE top bodybuilders. These types of tweaks are detrimental to overall size/strength gain, but positive to shaping.

 

[mad_monkey59]

The leg press has a place in every athletes regime.

I.e. right after you've supersetted some adductors with abductors, whilst doing the quad extension with your left arm and touching your toes with your right... oh yes, and if you're a woman.

Sorry, I know what you're saying, do it every now and again to break up the routine if you like... but Squats cannot be replaced.

In the words of Tom Platz 'if you don't do squats, you will never reach your full potential'.